Basketball Coach Newsletter Issue #42

By adam.warner - Last updated: Wednesday, August 8, 2012 - One Comment

The latest edition of All Access provides readers with an exclusive glimpse at a Montverde Academy (FL) boys basketball practice. During this recent session, head coach Kevin Boyle leads his team through pivoting techniques in a half-court setting before getting into rapid fire fast break drills.

Pivoting Drills

Although these are basic drills, they go a long way to help lessen turnovers, especially traveling. It’s key that players work on their triple threat positioning and being strong with the ball at all times.

Jump Stop and Pivot: First, the team gets into four lines on the baseline and four players go at a time. Players will dribble up to the free throw line, make a jump stop, turn, pivot, and make a chest pass to a teammate behind. Look to get your feet wide and then turn, pivot, step, and pass.

Tips: Make sure you get your feet spread (about shoulder width apart) and when you turn, keep that same distance. Maintain a strong, wide base.

Reverse Pivot: Through this pivot, you can clear some space against a strong defense and be a threat with the ball. This drill helps with ensuring you have room to pass, dribble, or shoot.

Tips: Watch as the players reverse pivot by using that right foot to swing around. This is where footwork and fundamentals become so important.

Step Over and Sweep: This next pivot move is great for those situations when you go chest to chest with a defender in a game. The motion here is to dribble up, jump stop, get the ball on hip, ball to shoulder, step over, and then sweep.

Fast Break Drills

Drill 1 – Start with a three-man weave. Do this for at least two minutes. Make sure that players get to the sidelines, run the court, and make an effective jump stop at the opposite foul line before delivering a bounce pass in stride for a layup. After the layup, have players immediately make the outlet with a chest pass and head down court (the same way as before) to close out the rep.

Drill 2 – This next fast break drill works on getting ahead of the ball in a game. Start with three lines like before and have three players go at once. Next, the man in the middle will dribble the ball all the way down court and get a layup. Now have the outside guys work hard at getting ahead of the ball. Once the basket is made, the middle player rebounds it immediately and throws a long outlet pass as the outside players get wide and eventually go in strong for a fast break layup.